Sunday, September 30, 2012

Here are a couple highlights from my yard and Stratford Point today showing the signs of the changing season as we are about to enter October. The first is a Pine Siskin, one of two that came to my feeders today to snack on some sunflower seeds.

The Pine Siskin is another irruptive species, almost more nomadic in their ways, moving around the northeast in light numbers at the moment. Perhaps we will see a decent movement this year on the heels of the continuing and inescapable Red-breasted Nuthatch invasion that is only growing in magnitude. There appear to be a great number of common species irrupting as well with White-breasted Nuthatch moving around all over and a few Black-capped Chickadee heading south, too. Most surprising today were the over 24 Tufted Titmice I had in one large group at Stratford Point, a bright (but gray) blinking sign that they are also shifting this season.

As for the more typical migrants, I enjoyed watching some Palm Warblers feeding along Stratford Point's restored dune today. Take a look at this bird chowing down on some flying food while hawking off the snow fencing. Here it is with a catch as I continually closed in on the bird myself...

And a tasty one it is...

It's going down now...

Next please (and you can see it in flight)...

The next few weeks are going to be very exciting, and apart from the expected birds on the move we seem to be on track to host irruptive birds this well into 2013. Fill your feeders now and visit a CAS center to stock up on supplies for a very long and busy winter.

Friday, September 28, 2012

Alyce Walker sent me the following record photos of a leucistic Red-tailed Hawk that she took this past February in New Hartford as she thought all of our readers may like to see this different look on our most common raptor.

Leucism is essentially a reduced pigmentation as normal colors still
occur over much of the feathers. It is not the same condition as
albinism, a mutation that prevents melanin from being produced at all. It is a rare condition in birds. At this time of year, we are all thinking about migrant raptors, counting them at hawk watches or watching them hunting at stopover sites. Keep in mind that throughout all of these masses there may be a rarity or an abnormality like the one above with an unusual genetic condition, a rare morph or form, or a vagrant.

Alyce is currently the Litchfield Audubon Society's featured photographer, and you can check out some more of her photos here. If anyone has a strange sighting or rare bird they'd like to share please email me at skruitbosch@ctaudubon.org at any time. Thanks for the shots Alyce!

Thursday, September 27, 2012

It's that time again - please see the below information for the Coastal Center at Milford Point's 2012 Big Sit. Additionally, please use this pledge form to help the team meet their goal and raise funds to help the Coastal Center and their staff, thank you!

Big Sit! FundraiserThe weekend of Oct 13/14 (day depends on the weather)This
year our Connecticut “Big Sit!” champion team, the B.W. Surf Scopers,
(Jim Dugan, Patrick Dugan, Frank Gallo, Tina Green, and Frank Mantlik)
will again defend, and attempt to break, their own Connecticut “Big
Sit!” birding record--107 species seen from within a 17-foot circle.
This international event, created by New Haven Bird Club, and sponsored
by Bird Watchers Digest, will be held either Saturday, or Sunday,
October 13 or 14, with teams competing worldwide. Our goal is to spot as
many different species of birds as possible without leaving our seats!
This year, Frank Gallo will be away leading a birding trip to Spain, so
we’re calling in our trusted Raven Luna-ticks teammates, Fran Zygmont,
and David Tripp to join us. Please help support their efforts.

We need your help to make this event the best yet – support our
record-breaking quest and the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center with a
pledge. Every dollar you pledge will go directly to support the
Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center at Milford Point – truly one of the
best birding destinations in the Northeast! Your donation is 100%
tax deductible; the money is used to support our conservation and
education efforts. Please visit our webpage at www.ctaudubon.org
for a pledge form, or contact us at 203-878-7440 x 502. We appreciate
your generous support. Thank you! And stay tuned; we’ll post the results
here on our blog.
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Last season a Red-tailed Hawk, the would-be chicken coop raider, was the 2011 Boothe Park hawk watch mascot. Three Black Vultures seem to have taken the 2012 title. On any given day, we typically see the three of them "hanging out", flying around the area all day long, sometimes with several more of the species. However, our trio is particularly fond of the regulars and many visitors, and recently posed on the chimney of the "basket house" on the west side of our site.

Black Vultures are becoming more and more common in Connecticut by the year and throughout the season, with a handful of birds clearly migrating south past our point each year. They are now found breeding and in the dead of winter. Even a few years ago, it would be a little difficult to add them to your Big January list, but I do not anticipate any problems doing that in 2013.

Oh, wondering about the chickens, are you? They're doing very well and have not been targeted by any raptors in our time there this year. However, the same cannot be said for the dozens of House Sparrows that hang out with them, or the Monk Parakeets sitting at the top of spruce trees, their bright green colors shining like a beacon for hungry raptors passing by. Good luck to them.

Monday, September 24, 2012

I joined Charlie Barnard, expert birder and naturalist, and Larry Fischer, a licensed bird bander and raptor virtuoso, at the orchard section of the Aspetuck Land Trust's Trout Brook Valley Conservation Area this past Saturday, September 22, for a hawk walk. Around 25 people came to Trout Brook Valley for a presentation by Larry followed by our walk through the orchard. If you are unfamiliar with the area, the orchard and a connected farm and grasslands habitat is one of the largest blocks of open habitat in the state and even region, bringing in specific birds that fit the land such as Field and Savannah Sparrows, Indigo Bunting, Eastern Meadowlark, American Pipit, Bobolink, Eastern Bluebird, and many more in every season. The area also pulls in many raptors of open habitats and forest edges as they migrate during the fall, sometimes holding dozens and dozens of birds.

Larry planned to attempt to capture a couple of raptors to band and show the group close up before releasing them back into the orchard. He was extremely successful, with his first catch being this young male Cooper's Hawk.

The "Coop" seemed to be a rather thin individual, and Larry mentioned that its weight was about 330 grams when it should be more around 350 grams. He discussed the species and accipiters in general, noting how they are built to move through the trees of the forest, around quick corners and through heavy brush to capture prey.

We quickly let him go back to find a meal that he sorely needed, and about an hour later during our hike we saw him again down by the farm fields, hunting happily. We knew Larry had another species for us, but he did not mention that he had two wonderful captures of an emblematic grassland bird - a male and female American Kestrel.

Charlie told us that he has seen days where 30 or even 50 of the species have been positioned throughout the huge open space in the peak of migration, and while there were not that many, we saw at the very least eight individuals present that day. We were even able to watch more flying and hunting while Larry held these two for us to examine and discuss.

He talked about their decline, likely linked to losing much of their habitat in both breeding and migration season. Larry discussed the plumage features and how unlike most every raptor these birds are sexually dimorphic, differing in appearance by their gender. The female was calm enough that those present could feel her feathers.

After we released them, they went immediately back to hunting on the posts lining the fence of the orchard. It turns out Larry had one more bird, a surprise that he does not capture more than once or twice a season and one that really excited even jaded old me - a Merlin!

I have seen American Kestrels up close and personal on numerous occasions, from injured birds to young at a nest box to other banding operations, and I see them frequently enough at Stratford Point. Cooper's Hawks can give you great views from your window while strafing a feeder or feasting on a passerine. However, while I see Merlins from time to time on the coast, I cannot recall having seen one in hand, and it was fascinating to see the species up close. This male was especially small to me. He was also very calm as Larry discussed this lesser known raptor.

Merlins are actually expanding in their breeding range and are now known to nest in Massachusetts. Twan Leenders, past CAS Conservation Biologist and now President of the Roger Tory Peterson Institute in Jamestown, New York, told me a few weeks ago that he found a couple recently fledged Merlin and their nest as there are now two known sites in the nearby area. It is only a matter of time before they are found nesting in Connecticut.

After such a successful and wondrous presentation by Larry, a bunch of very entertained and informed people set out to loop around the entire orchard. Kestrels zipped by, Eastern Phoebes and Eastern Bluebirds popped in and out of trees catching insects, Blue Jays trickled through migrating to the southwest, and Palm Warblers bobbed their tails while picking through the grasses. Here's a full list of the sightings for the morning:

Thank you to everyone who joined us and thanks to Larry and Charlie for a tremendous time! We hope to see you at an another hawk walk on Saturday, October 13, at 9:30AM. More information and directions can be found here on the Aspetuck Land Trust website. I hope that there will be many raptors for Larry to try to catch and plenty of sparrows and late season warblers roaming the fields.

Saturday, September 22, 2012

What is this thing that I asked you about in this entry? Here it is below once again.

As said, the tree is no help, but you should be able to see that this is a large bird in comparison to the cones and branches. It is obviously covered with black feathers. The location - Stratford's Boothe Park - is not applicable beyond the fact it is a coincidence that this is a hawk watch site. Does that help? Here it is...

Yep, that would be a Black Vulture! It and a few others decided to sit in spruce trees on the western edge of the site while we were tallying hawks last week. These are "local" birds that are resident in nearby areas, and we have frequently seen three or five hanging around. They are easy to pick out from migrants because of their behavior, flying low, searching for food, sitting in trees (obviously), and not appearing like they are on the move. Birds heading south fly high, from basically due northeast or east to west, southwest, or south, without breaking their flight. They keep their wings set, ride thermals to gain altitude, or soar through thousands of feet in the air. Migrant birds are trying to conserve every single bit of energy whereas others, like these, are not so concerned about it, making for an easy enough distinction in most cases.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Were you able to determine the identification of these two birds - or rather, shorebirds, from this post?

Are they the same species? The answer to that is a definite no. With that in mind, any clue on what one of them may be? Or is that perhaps even more confusing? This photo in particular makes it more difficult because you cannot see their bills as they are tucked away for a little nap.

However, we can actually still accurately identify these birds. The bird on the left is a very common shorebird migrant while the one on the right is a rarity. The left bird has a uniform gray-ish wash with black and dark wing coverts. It is more compact and round with a slightly smaller head than the thinner and lankier bird on the right. The left bird is a Semipalmated Sandpiper. Coloration can be a tricky thing on a computer monitor since it can vary, but for the individual on the right you should be able to see extensive rufous coloration on the back of the bird. This is on its scapulars, and if you check out the wing coverts you should be able to see they are much more gray, especially nearing this rufous area. This is a Western Sandpiper, and a bird more extensively discussed here in this entry on the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds blog. You will be able to see more photos there including the hugeeeeee bill.

I would suggest looking at them in overall terms, not specific feathers, and you can get a good sense of the general difference. Sometimes keeping a wider and softer eye rather than trying to examine every single speck of a bird helps you see the more subtle differences in a much more clear way.

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Hi all,Here's a partial list of upcoming birding programs at the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point that I thought might be of interest. Others can be found on our webpage at www.ctaudubon.org, including our popular fall canoeing trips through the Wheeler Marsh, a new adult Yoga Series, and a slew of new family programs. This fall, we've added exciting new Saw-whet Owl banding demonstrations. It's a pilot project and we're looking forward to learning more about their migration habits in our area. We'll have a few more new programs to add to the mix as well. Stay tuned, and we hope you can join us. Call Louise at 203-878-7440 x 502 to register. See you soon.

Frank Gallo, Director

Sorting Out Bird SongsThursdays, September 27 or November 8, 7 – 9 p.m.Birdsong can be an incredible aid to finding and identifying birds. Instructor Frank Gallo, an avid student of birdsong, will introduce the basics of birding by ear, using sound resources, as well as the tips, tricks, and even pitfalls to identifying birds by sound. Is that an oriole or a tanager singing? Could that be a hermit thrush calling or a catbird? Come find out, as we delve into the basics of birding by ear. Meet at the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center at Milford Point. Fee: $35.Big Sit! FundraiserThe weekend of Oct 13/14 (day depends on the weather)This year our Connecticut “Big Sit!” champion team, the B.W. Surf Scopers, (Jim Dugan, Patrick Dugan, Frank Gallo, Tina Green, and Frank Mantlik) will again defend, and attempt to break, their own Connecticut “Big Sit!” birding record--107 species seen from within a 17-foot circle. This international event, created by New Haven Bird Club, and sponsored by Bird Watchers Digest, will be held either Saturday, or Sunday, October 13 or 14, with teams competing worldwide. Our goal is to spot as many different species of birds as possible without leaving our seats! This year, Frank Gallo will be away leading a birding trip to Spain, so we’re calling in our trusted Raven Luna-ticks teammates, Fran Zygmont, and David Tripp to join us. Please help support their efforts.

We need your help to make this event the best yet – support our record-breaking quest and the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center with a pledge. Every dollar you pledge will go directly to support the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center at Milford Point – truly one of the best birding destinations in the Northeast! Your donation is 100% tax deductible; the money is used to support our conservation and education efforts. Please visit our webpage at www.ctaudubon.org for a pledge form, or contact us at 203-878-7440 x 502. We appreciate your generous support. Thank you! And stay tuned; we’ll post the results here on our blog.Autumn Owl ProwlFriday, October 26, 7:15– 9:15 p.m.When the sun retreats, owls awaken to go in search of prey. Some say that owls are wise, others that they sparked legends of ghosts. Whatever the truth, a night near All Hallows Eve is a fine time to uncover the mysteries of these amazing nocturnal hunters. We’ll learn about a few of the species that co-exist in our area, and then carpool to a local park to try to call one in. It’s a hoot! Fee: $35/person. Call Louise at 203-878-7440 x 502 to register.

Northern Saw-whet Owl Banding Demonstrations October 19th, 20th, 23rd, 25th, 27th; November Dates (to be determined)This year, the Coastal Center at Milford Point will begin a pilot Saw-whet Owl banding project to document the migration of these mysterious little owls along the coast. Starting October 19th, we will be running a banding station from 7:00 PM- 10:00 pm, and invite you to join us. This is our first year, so we’re not sure of our success*; any owls caught will be banded, aged and sexed, photographed then released back on their way. While we wait, there will also be discussion on the biology of Saw-whets and other owls in our area. Bring your cameras and dress appropriately for the weather. Preregistration required; call Louise at 203-878-7440 x 502. Leaders: Sean Graesser and Frank GalloCost: $15 CAS Members/ $20 Non-members* (Limit: 15 people per night.)*If no owls are caught on your first visit, you may return on one other night at no charge

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

I would like to thank everyone who joined us for the Connecticut Ornithological Association raptor workshop this past Saturday, September 15 at Boothe Memorial Park in Stratford. We had a great crowd of over 30 people that grew to over 40 and totaled over 50 during the course of the morning and afternoon. The conditions for raptor migration were decent - not bad but not great. A weak and dissipating cold front went through in the early morning hours and lingered to the east. The pressure gradient was tight and high pressure was still moving in towards the Great Lakes. The volatile atmosphere was still clearing out post-frontal clouds after a tiny sprinkle during its passing, and the clouds lingered until 9AM.

The gusty and variable flow was not uniform aloft, all coming out of the northwest, until later in the day. Immediately after a cold front, the air is often coming from the north or northwest at the surface but still southwest as you climb into the atmosphere. Ideally, we would have had the front go through 12 hours earlier and all of this may have been perfect for a big flight. Nevertheless, we still had many nice views of a good variety of birds as the temperature rose into the 70s with the wonderfully dry and pleasant air making it a lovely day to be outside. Here is a bunch of people tuned in to the action down over the Housatonic River.

We had 285 total migrant raptors in 6.5 hours from 8:30-3:00 with the breakdown by species below:

That does not include the numbers of local birds like Black Vulture, Osprey, Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk, and Red-shouldered Hawk that were not heading south and instead often provided perfect sights for the crowd to study and discuss in terms of identification. Once again, that total is decent, but we have had many better days and many worse ones, too.

So far at Boothe Park in 2012 we have had 4,596 migrant raptors in 53.25 hours, and this does not include today as birds are heading south while I type this. I'll discuss some of the bigger flights sometime soon as we are already wrapping up Broad-winged Hawk season. Time flies as fast as they do.

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

On Sunday morning, a little more than 24 hours after the passage of a cold front and a subsequent strong day of raptor movement in the northeast, I found a great group of birds at Stratford Point. Normally at this time of year, our visitors find the little ones the most noteworthy, but in this case, it was the predators, not the prey, that captured my attention. There were nine (9!) American Kestrels present along with one Merlin.

Three kestrels were kiting - hovering to hunt while facing the wind so that the breeze helps to keep them aloft - when I arrived. There were four more in four trees along the edge of the grasslands, one on a building, and one on a telephone pole.

The Merlin was in the trees by the gate, feeling outnumbered, and taking some passes at the birds there. Suffice it to say the little ones were very quiet, hiding along the edges of the property, with many Savannah Sparrows tucked in our constructed dune.

Stratford Point's coastal grasslands and the management practices that we have applied to the site over the past several years clearly help species like the rapidly decreasing American Kestrel by providing very desirable stopover habitat. These birds can rest in safety while refueling before continuing their journey south at this oasis in the midst of considerable development on the Connecticut coast.

Our friend Tom Sayers has been doing great work for American Kestrels, constructing and maintaining nest boxes across the state, including one at Stratford Point. We have yet to have a pair nest there but we are hopeful. He color-banded 123 kestrels in his study area this season and would love anyone and everyone to try to spot any of these birds on their way south. Since he is the only
one color-banding kestrels in New England, even the detection of any color would be a strong indicator of one of his birds. It would be tough to scope one at a hawk watch, but I am trying my best, and everyone should examine any birds at stopover sites like Stratford Point.

In my next post, I'll discuss some of the amazing raptor migration that we have enjoyed at Boothe Memorial Park in Stratford so far this year. It has been a stupendous season and, as always, a tremendous task for conservation, education, and advocacy all in one.

Friday, September 14, 2012

Please take a look at the following digiscoped photo and try to ID whatever that is.

This was another recent photo from somewhere in Connecticut. I would caution that identifying the tree will probably not be of any assistance to you. Don't worry about the slight lighting flare either. I'll provide a more typical photo I took in a post with the answer that should help to end any confusion about this strange shot.

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Perhaps that should be more accurately titled as "irruption" as the lively Red-breasted Nuthatch has been pouring south during this fall migration season from July through now in September, but it feels like they are part of an enormous invasion conquering all of our lands. An irruption is a rapid and often seasonal population increase in areas where a species is only rarely or infrequently seen. It is largely due to ecological factors such as a lack of the preferred food sources in the normal wintering range as the birds head south to find more to eat (and Red Crossbills have started to move as well, hopefully more on that soon!).

They are far more common than your standard White-breasted Nuthatch right now across Connecticut, and visiting any areas of pines or spruce trees or migratory stopover sites along the coast will yield at least one individual, if not several. While at the Boothe Park hawk watch we have had one or two individuals every day, and in my yard and neighborhood I hear one briefly at least every couple of days. They are incredibly active and feed nonstop in the early mornings, except for occasional interaction with one another.

I was able to watch the bird in the photo below ripping into large pine cones, and even in the bright light this slightly blurry shot shows you how fast it was moving with the tasty treat in its bill.

If you provide food for birds in your yard, you may be able to enjoy one of them coming to snatch a sunflower seed from your feeders, or maybe pick at a little bit of suet. I know everyone is hopeful that this is not simply an army that passes through our forests and that some of this irruption ends here with a sizable quantity of birds overwintering with us. Much of that will depend upon how much food our lands hold, and reports on those stores have been mixed. Either way it is a wonderful time to enjoy an occasional and very friendly visitor while we eagerly await the possibility of more long-lost friends visiting us in the coming few months.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Check out the birds in the digiscoped image below and tell me what they are!

It was taken very recently in Connecticut. Are both birds the same species? If so, which? Or are they different species? If so, how can you tell? I'll give you the answer in an upcoming post along with an explanation of their identification in the next week. Look for a very different digiscoped photo quiz soon as well.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Another species that is rapidly exiting our area is the Bobolink, one of the Stratford Point specials many of our visitors enjoy seeing in the grasslands.

You can find them in many different areas, from overgrown park lawns to community gardens or even shrubby pockets directly along the coastline after some good migration movements. They are also a hawk watch specialty, and if you are at a productive site you may see groups flying by. You could even be spending a late summer day at the beach and hear their distinctive flight call, ticking off the species for your daily list without ever seeing them in the September sky. Get your looks while you can because the clock is ticking...

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Yesterday's cold front brought tornadoes, heavy rain, and a heck of a lot of bird movement. This includes the Caracara (!) reported from New Jersey as well as the yet to be discovered rarities that are very likely lurking here after a tremendous rush of southerly and tropical air followed by the rapid shift to a northwesterly flow. Today will be a very good day for raptors, and Monday and Tuesday could be productive as well. It is also getting to be time to say goodbye to some of our littler friends until next spring, and while they were not able to move much last night with rain continuing after the front in our state, they should push through by the millions tonight and tomorrow night.

By the end of the month Eastern Kingbirds like this one will have departed Connecticut along with nearly all of the rest of the flycatchers with the exception of the Eastern Phoebe.

Kingbirds are on the move during the daylight hours, and while their numbers are dwindling I would have to guess that today will feature a nice push of them, Chimney Swifts, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, and various swallows on the way to the south. Labor Day may have been last weekend, but this one sure feels like the end of summer and beginning of fall.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

In what is becoming a yearly tradition, another rare Clay-colored Sparrow was seen at Stratford Point yesterday. Frank Mantlik found and photographed the bird which you can see below, thanks Frank!

It seems to have been hanging out mostly near our recently constructed dune as you can see it perched on some of the snow fencing surrounding it. We have had them mostly in fall migration, but some have been seen in the spring and one even tried to overwinter a few years ago. A coastal grasslands in the middle of so much human development that sticks out into the waters of Long Island Sound is going to attract thousands of birds every fall. Even a vagrant like this helps to illustrate why Connecticut Audubon Society and Sacred Heart University have put in so much effort to restoring the property and adding key habitat features to aid these birds on their journey. While those trees and shrubs still have to grow and mature, they will be a wonderful place to see migrants at this time of year for many seasons to come.

Avian mortality is several times higher, if not more, during migration, and it is always invigorating to know that the birds we see at protected properties like this one stand a much better chance at making it to their destination as they are able to refuel and rest in relative peace and safety.

Friday, September 7, 2012

Nearly a year before this blog was even set up in April 2010, I was working with Twan Leenders on waterfowl surveys at Stratford Point and conducting breeding bird surveys in the Stratford Great Meadows Important Bird Area in the summer of 2009. This was also over a year before the White-tailed Kite's visit, and very few people even knew where Stratford Point was, let alone that any member of the public could access it when Connecticut Audubon Society staff was in the office. We often found some very cool birds there as we do now, and I am sure had it been a completely open site for the last decade the incredible list of rarities and conservation priority species it has hosted would be even more extensive, in line with some of the best spots in the state.

While taking a break from his desk on one very hot July day, Twan found a very strange bird hopping around near the beach and the grasslands. He was able to snap off several record shots of it in the hazy conditions before losing it in the grasses.

After a little thought and a look at a book, he came up with the answer - that this was a recently fledged Horned Lark. It almost certainly came from a nearby nest, though we were never able to figure out where (Sikorsky airport, Milford Point, Short Beach, etc.) and we never saw it or the bird's parents again. It was probably not from directly on Stratford Point itself, as we thought we would have seen the birds at some point with how much time we spent there. Still, this is a state-endangered species, and one that is only very rarely seen at this time of year.

That is why it was awesome to see a juvenile Horned Lark at Rocky Hill Meadows earlier in the week that initially fooled many people into thinking it was a Sprague's Pipit. Look at it for yourself here on the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds blog. While those birders may have been disappointed at not being able to see a lifer, we were happy to be able to record a superb individual of one of our target species as they can certainly be coastal-nesting birds apart from those inland grasslands. Let's hope in the future that shoreline conservation and restoration will encourage a few more pairs to breed across the state.Scott KruitboschConservation Technician

Who are we?

Connecticut Audubon Society conserves Connecticut’s environment through science-based education and advocacy focused on the state’s bird populations and habitats. Founded in 1898, Connecticut Audubon Society operates nature facilities in Fairfield, Milford, Glastonbury and Pomfret as well as an EcoTravel office in Essex and an Environmental Advocacy program in Hartford. Connecticut Audubon Society manages 19 wildlife sanctuaries around the state, preserves over 2,600 acres of open space in Connecticut and educates over 200,000 children and adults annually. Working exclusively in the state of Connecticut for over 100 years, Connecticut Audubon Society is an independent organization, not affiliated with any national or governmental group.